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Gearspedia:Blocking Policy
A user is Blocked when they are banned from contributing to Gearspedia completely. They can still view pages, but they cannot edit pages, talk pages, log in, or create a new account. Blocking is done to maintain the smooth function of Gearspedia and as preventative action against vandals, and violation of Wiki Etiquette. A user or IP may only be blocked by an administrator. Blocking can last for different periods of time depending on the infractions. Reasons for being blocked Vandalism Vandalism is the most common cause for blocking on Gearspedia. Vandalism is any addition, deletion, or change of content made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of Gearspedia. The most common type of vandalism is the replacement of existing text with obscenities, page blanking, or the insertion of bad jokes or other nonsense. Fortunately, this kind of vandalism is usually easy to spot. Vandalism also includes adding spam links to pages, and deliberately falsifying information on the page by changing dates, names, or other information. Note that in order for something to be considered vandalism, it must be done in "bad faith." Though the Internet makes it difficult to determine a person's intentions, problems such as those listed above are obviously done in bad faith for whatever reason. Other problems, such as users testing their abilities to edit, making accidental mistakes, and learning wiki markup, are less clear cut- they can easily be attributed to a new user with good intentions who just does not know how Gearspedia works. In this instance, you should instead kindly inform that user of how to properly use editing tools to help them along. There is no warning required for vandalism. Vandals are usually blocked on the spot, the time ranges from 2 weeks to a month depending on the extent of the vandalism attributed to that user. Vandalism of multiple pages sometimes warrants longer blocking periods of three months. Contributing persistent Fanfiction Gearspedia's Canon Policy clearly states that Gearspedia is only for Gears canon. Fanfiction is any item or detail that was not officially sanctioned by Epic Games or its affiliates, and is thus not canon. Contributing fanfiction, whether it is well known or from one person, is unacceptable on Gearspedia. Contributing persistent fanfiction is different from vandalism in several ways. First, it is not necessarily done in "bad faith" and so contributors found doing this are not instantly blocked after their first offense. Second, persistent contributors will receive two warnings of some kind from an administrator. This way, the user will have the opportunity to present their sources and correct any mistakes. If the user continues to contribute fanfiction after the second warning, the contributions are considered deleterious to Gearspedia and the user will be blocked. Blocking for this infraction is done in the judgment of an administrator. Blocking times vary depending on the situation. Creating pointless pages Pages that have nothing to do with the Gears universe create problems for the community. The What Gearspedia is not page does a good job of outlining what kind of content is irrelevant and should not be created on Gearspedia. A user who created these pages should be warned about them; note that sometimes information is related to Gears in an indirect way, so a page may not be as pointless as it initially seems. Repeated creation of pointless pages will result in blocking ranging from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the extent of the infraction. Harassment and Personal Attacks Gearspedia has made a clear policy on its About page that harassment and personal attacks are not tolerated. Gearspedia must have a positive atmosphere so that users can contribute and cooperate in a way that is constructive. Harassment and personal attacks not only drive away potential users, but also damage Gearspedia by making it a less people-friendly place. Harassment is a serious infraction on Gearspedia. Refrain from making personal attacks on another user, even when confronting them about the issues stated above. Users who harass and attack others will be banned for an extended period of time, ranging from a month to a year to an indefinite ban. How do I deal with these issues? It is easy for the standard user to revert vandalism or nominate a pointless page for deletion, but it is best to contact an administrator about any issues with other users or their contributions. A list of Gearspedia administrators can be found on the Administrators page. Category:Help